B-Town Farmer's Market: A Sketch

Experiencing a day at the Farmer's Market was both interesting and enticing-I've already decided I want to return whenever possible!  Coming from a larger community with little to no local farms in the area, a farmer's market was not something I have routinely experienced.  However, I enjoyed the environment and relished in the closeness of the community.  Food is a way to join people together, and I felt a sense of communion during the small amount of time we were at the market.  Tents set up for food purposes ranged from Amish farm produce and kettle corn, small farms selling meats and vegetables, local restaurants such the Scholar's Inn Bakehouse and Mt. Pilot BBQ, and even some unnamed tables with freshly grown herbs, fruits and vegetables.  While perusing the market, I noticed that in areas where much of the produce and meats were sold, women were heavily prevalent.  While some men were present, most were walking with a woman or children.  This observation aligns with the general social consensus that women buy the food and cook for their families.  However, that does not mean that only women were visible.  People ranging from very young children to senior citizens frequented the various tents.  Obviously, food is necessary to sustain life, and buying food from a place that you know is free from pesticides and other chemicals makes for a healthier lifestyle.  Based on the number of people I saw and the diverse range in age, healthy eating and supporting local businesses is important in Bloomington.

Furthermore, my map displays areas where political initiatives and community involvement programs were present.  They were all grouped in the same area on the northwest side of City Hall, and ranged from topics such as "Monroe County Republican Women", "Save our Democracy", the "Bloomington Garden Project" and "Adopt a Dog".  Each of these were connected to either a political group or program designed to engage the community.  By grouping them all together a little further away from the food, it allows for people to choose if they would like to learn about the different programs.  They were not being forced upon people, which is refreshing.

Moreover, the music scene at the farmer's market was also important to note.  I observed three musical groups that were relatively similar in some aspects, and different in others.  One group was playing behind the political/community involvement tables, and they played softer jazz music.  Across from some of the produce setups was a two man band that played folksy music.  The band comprised of two younger men playing a guitar and harmonica, leaving their guitar case open for donations.  Many people were generous with their money, which was interesting to me.  Where I am from, almost no one pays mind to the musicians that perform on the streets.  Additionally, I also noticed a band that performed near the "restaurant" area.  Along with them being extremely talented, I found it endearing when a young child went up to the singer and asked him about the instrument he was playing.  The singer graciously answered the boy's question and did not look at all perturbed by the interruption.  I thought that this spoke volumes of the type of people in the community.  Finally, there was a table set up for a local radio station called WFHB that was playing music off of a stereo system.  This contrasted greatly with the live music entertainment, and interestingly enough, no one was stopping to listen to the radio music-but they all stopped to listen to the live performances.  This demonstrates that people still value music in a presentational form in everyday life, not just high fidelity music making.

In terms of social structure in relation to musical structure, the farmer's market would most identify with participatory music. The farmer's market gears towards social involvement and bonding, which is similar to participatory music.  For a farmer's market to function properly, there must be a relationship between the sellers and the buyers. The sellers made it a priority to communicate with their potential buyers, but not in a normal business manner.  They were not trying to "strike a deal"- they simply wanted to converse with the people of the community.  They did not want to make a distinction between themselves and the people walking by.  Similarly, in participatory music, there is no hierarchy of artists and audience-everyone comes together as one.  A farmer's market is a good indication of the social values of a community, and the different interactions and tendencies of people that I observed mirror that of a participatory music-making setting.